Clamping device



De.z3, 1941. HJELUES 2,267,106

GLAMPING DEVICE Fi1ed sept. 12,1940 42 sheets-smet 2 Patented Dec. 23,1941 A 'i UNITED STATES PAT sur 'for-Fics Harvey Jellies,` ClarendonHillsrflll.,l assigner' Western Electric Company, York, N. Y., acorporation of New-*York Application september 12,1940,'sefiailivdasassl' i1 claims. (ci.

This inventionrelates to clamping devices and more particularly todevices for clamping strands or cables on their supporting framework.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple andrelatively inexpensive means for clamping cable or strands in place ontheir supporting framework.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, upright `membershaving integrally formed clamps on the lower end thereof are providedwhich are substantially channel-shaped in cross section, the flanges ofthe channels being serrated to receive cross members or horizontalmembers which are slotted to engage in the serrations on the flanges ofthe vertically disposed members. The vertically disposed members areprovided with suitable slots adapted to receive tongues formed onsimilarly shaped extensions if it is desired to pile cable or strands ona supporting framework in groups which are higher than the length of thevertical channel members.

A better understanding of the invention willV be had from the followingdetailed description: when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein Fig. lis a side elevational view ofasection of the cable run showing a portion of the Acable supportingframework with clamps made in accordance with the present inventioniixed thereto and supporting and clamping the cable onthe cablesupports;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l in thedirection of the arrows showing the end elevation of the upright portionof the clamping devices in some detail;

Fig. 3 is a per-spective view of one of the horizontal details utilizedin connection with thev vertically-disposed members to clamp the cablein position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a cable runshowing on an enlarged scale,` the manner in which the horizontally andvertically disposed members were interconnected;

Fig. 5 is an end view looking toward the right end of the structureshown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in plan on an enlarged scale of the juncture of thehorizontally and vertically disposed clamping details;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the vertical detailhaving one of the vertical extensions fixed thereto; and p Fig. 8 is asectional View taken on the line B-8 of Fig. 7 vin the direction of thearrows.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like referencel characters VVdesgrate thel samel fparts throughoutA theV several views, the clampingdeuk vices Vwhich embody the-features of the present. invention areshown 'clampingftelephone. cables on their supporting racks to which theparticular clamping devices shown herein are particularly adaptable.Asjshown in'Figs, `1 and 2, the clamps are used.y to securek vcables IB,of varying sizes; to cross membersv AII v and I2 of a cable rack. Cable,racks of thistypemay consistof a-plurality of channel memberspositionedat spaced intervals and supported in any suitable manner inatelefAvphoneexchange.,4 .Y

In Athe-preferred form, .the clamping device comprises a plurality'ofhorizontal. members, designated-.generallyby the numeral I4, and aplurality of vertically disposed members, designated generally bythenumeral I5. lIf it is desirable to lay more cableon'av rack,including the channel members I2, than `may be positioned Within` thelength of the vertically extending members I5, an extension member,designated vgenerally by the numeraljl, maybe utilized-xY f f rIhevertically,disposed members I5 are formed of sheet metaltov-substantially channel shape and,V as most clearly shown, in1 Figs.4, 5 and 6, the members I5have a web II and two flanges I3l and I9.v Theflanges I8 and I9 are serrated and the rounded serrations are disposedvin staggered rel-ation, as mostclearly shown in Fig, 5,V the apex ofthe serration on the flange I9 beingdirectlyopposite'the valley or lowportion of the correspondingserration on-the flange I8. Thebottom ofeach of the members I5 has formed integrally ,with it abent-.overportion22, which is disposed at rightangles lto the web I'I of the member I5and the portion 22 has extending -outwardly fromf-it (tov the -right andleft, Fig. 5) clamping portions 23 and 24 which may be benty to theconfiguration as shown in Fig. 5 'where the portion 23 is rounded, asshown at 26, to engagel the right hand flange channel member 4-I2 andthe portion 24 is bent to form a spring clip whereby when the roundedportion 26 of the portion 23 is hooked under one flange of the channelmember I2, the member I5 may be rocked to the position shown and will belocked in place by a portion 24. Y

Adjacent its upper end, each ofthe members I5 is provided with a pair ofslots 3|) and 3l and a portion 32 of the web I1 thereof is formed out ofits normal plane between the slots 30 and 3| to receive a tongue 33formed by an extending portion of a flange-34 of the extension memberI6, which is locked in: lace by portion 41 thereof. 'Ihe portion 41 ofthe flange 34 is formed out of the normal plane of the flange adjacentthe lower end of the portion 32. The extension member I 6 is otherwiseof the same shape as the vertically disposed clamping member I5.

The horizontal clamping members I4 are all of exactly the sameconstruction, made in varying lengths, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3,and comprise a web 40 and offset edge portions 4I and 42, which serve tostrengthen the member I4 and provide a small space between the variouslayers of cable clamped in place by the vertical members I5 andhorizontal members I4. Adjacent their ends, each of the members I4 hasan irregularly shaped slot formed in it, as indicated.

generally at 43. These slots are cut into the member I4 from oppositesides and taper to a point as shown at 44 so that when the members I4are placed in position, as most clearly shown in Fig. 6, the taperedportion 44 will engage the side of the flange I9 or the ange I8, if thehorizontal member is slipped into place from the opposite side. In orderthat the members I4 may be readily slipped in place on the members I5,the slot 43 extends from a point in one of the oiset edge portionstoward the other oiset edge portion and slightly toward the adjacent endof the member I4. The lip 45, formed as a consequence of the formationof the slot 43, has a notch 46 formed in it which is adapted to engagein the valley between serrations on the flange I8 or I9, as shown inFig.6.

Since the serrations formed in the flanges I8 and I9 are staggered withrespect one'to another, the portion 44 will, when the members I4 areassembled with the members I5, engage the low point of the serrations onthe flange I8 or I9, as shown .in Fig. 5, and the notch 46 may beengaged with the serrations midway between the crest and valley of theserrations when the member I4 has been locked in place on the member I5.In moving the lip 45 into this position, it will be necessary, ofcourse, to bend the lip downwardly (Fig. 5) until the notch 46 passesthe edge of the serration, whereupon the lip may be released through itsresiliency and tightly clamp the member I4 on the member I5. When it isdesired to remove any of the members I4 from the vertical members I5, itis simply necessary to bend the lip 45 downwardly and slip the member I4on' of the member I5 since, when the lip 45 is midway downwardly, thenotch 46 therein will be out of the path of the higher portions of theserrations in the mem-ber I8 or I9.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been describedhereinbefore, it will be understood that modifications and adaptationsthereofY may be made without departing from the invention, which is tobe limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping device comprising upright members having bent-overportions with serrated edges, and cross members having slots adjacenttheir ends in registration with the serrated edges on the bent-overportions of the upright members.

2. A clamping device comprising upright members of substantiallychannel-shaped cross section and having the flange portions thereofserrated, and cross members having slots adjacent their ends grippinglyengaging the serrated edges formed on the anges of the upright members.

3. A clamping device comprising upright members having bent-overportions with staggered serrations on the edges of said bent-overportions, and cross members having-slots adjacent their ends inengagement with the serrated edges on the upright members.

4. A clamping device comprising upright members having bent-overportions with staggered serrations on the edges of said bent-overportions, and cross members having slots adjacent their ends inengagement with the serrated edges on the upright members, said slots inthe cross members being less in width than the distance from the base ofthe web to the tips of the serrations on the upright members to providesurfaces to grip the serrated part of the upright members.

5. A .clamping device for holding strands or cables on frames comprisingupright members having integrally formed clamps thereon grippinglyengaging the frame, said upright members comprising a web portion andangularly disposed iiange portions having serrations thereon, a seriesof toothlike projections on said flange portions, the projections beingarranged to pro-2 ject at alternate levels on the flanges, and crossmembers slotted to engage said upright members.

6. A clamping device comprising upright members having bent-overportions withv serrated edges, the serrations on said serrated edgesextending at alternate levels on opposite bentover portions, and crossmembers having slots adjacent their ends in registration with theserrated edges on the bent-over portions of the upright members.

7. A clamping device comprising upright members having bent-overportions with serrated edges, the serrations on said serrated edgesextending at alternate levels on opposite bentover portions, crossmembers having slots adjacent their ends in registration with theserrated edges on the bent-over portions of the upright members, and anotch cut in said slot to provide locking surfaces engageable in thevalleys between the serrations.

8. A clamping device comprising upright members having bent-overportions with serrated edges, the serrations on said serrated edgesextending at alternate levels on oposite bent-over portions, crossmembers having slots adjacent their ends in registration with theserrated edges on the bent-over portions of the upright members, and anotch formed in the side of each of said slots on the side thereofclosest to the end of the cross member to provide a locking surface forengagement with the sloping side of one of the serrations.

9. A clamping device for clamping cable on frames comprising uprightmembers having a web portion and oppositely disposed and angularlyprojecting iiange portions, said ilange portions having their edgesserrated, and cross members in attachment to said upright members, saidcross members comprising a main body portion and end portions integrallyconnected to the main body portions by a connecting portion whereby theupright and cross members may be locked together by bending the endportions out of their normal plane and forcing the cross member inopposite directions onto opposite upright members.

10. A clamping device for holding strands or cables on a frame includingspaced channelshaped members supported by and extending at an angle tosaid frame, said channel-shaped an angle to said frame, saidchannel-shaped member having its flanges oppositely directed and formedto have a series of similarly spaced notches in their edges, the notchesin the edges of the two flanges on each member being offset relative toeach other, and an element having slots adjacent its ends and extendingfrom opposite sides at opposite ends in locking engagement in thenotches in the edges of the flanges 0 of the channel-shaped member.

HARVEY J ELLIES.

